On this day (March 25) in 2006, Buck Owens died in his sleep at his Bakersfield, California, home. He was one of the most successful country artists of the 1960s and ’70s. Moreover, he left behind an immortal legacy as one of the shapers of the Bakersfield Sound. The West Coast country music scene influenced countless artists, including Dwight Yoakam, Brad Paisley, the Byrds, and many more.
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Owens was born in Texas. However, he and his family moved west during the Dust Bowl. First, they landed in Arizona. There, Owens began playing in bars and honky tonks in Phoenix and Mesa to help his family make ends meet. It also kept him out of the fields. During this time, he was playing anything that would please the dance hall crowds, including western swing, R&B, cowboy songs, and honky tonk.
According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he married Bonnie Campbell in 1948. Three years later, they moved to Bakersfield, California, where he became the lead guitarist for the house band at the Blackboard. At the same time, he was doing session work for Capitol Records in Los Angeles. Finally, in 1957, Owens inked a deal with Capitol. His initial singles failed to chart. Then, in 1959, he found his first hit when “Second Fiddle” reached No. 24. His next release, “Under Your Spell Again,” peaked at No. 4.
Buck Owens Rises to Stardom
Owens notched several top 10 hits in the early 1960s. “Above and Beyond,” “Foolin’ Around,” “Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got a Heartache),” and “Under the Influence of Love” helped put him on the map as a recording artist. Then, in 1963, he scored his first No. 1 with “Act Naturally.” This started a string of 14 consecutive No. 1 singles.
Two of those singles stand out. First, “Love’s Gonna Live Here,” his second chart-topper, remained at No. 1 for 16 weeks, outperforming every country single for the next 49 years. He also achieved the rare feat of launching an instrumental track to the top of the chart with “Buckaroo” in 1965.
His hot streak ended in 1967 when “It Takes People Like You (To Make People Like Me)” stalled at No. 2. However, he was far from falling out of favor with country fans. Owens continued to notch top 10 hits until the middle of the 1970s. His final No. 1 came in 1988 when he and Dwight Yoakam teamed up for “Streets of Bakersfield.”
Influenced by Owens
Buck Owens and the Bakersfield Sound influenced generations of country artists. For instance, Merle Haggard came up in the same scene. Owens was one of the first major artists to regularly record with his backing band. Haggard followed suit, crediting the Strangers on many of his releases.
Dwight Yoakam, a Kentucky native, was heavily influenced by Owens and the Bakersfield Sound. The similarities were clear on his 1986 debut album and the hit singles it spawned. Then, two years later, he found his first No. 1 single with “Streets of Bakersfield,” recorded with Owens, one of his musical heroes.
Brad Paisley wasn’t just influenced by Owens. The two were friends. Additionally, he has paid tribute to the West Coast legend multiple times. For instance, when he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, he wore a jacket once owned by Buck Owens.
Owens’ influence didn’t stop at country music. He and other Bakersfield artists laid the groundwork for the country rock scene that arose in the 1970s. Bands like the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Byrds followed in their footsteps.
In short, Owens didn’t just contribute a wealth of great songs to country music. He and a few others helped shape the musical landscape for generations to come.
Featured Image by David Redfern/Redferns
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